Lecture

Amino Acids: Structure and Importance

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

In course

CH-120: Advanced general chemistry II

Acquisition des notions fondamentales liées à la réactivité des molécules organiques, identification de la structure de petites molécules organiques au moyen des techniques de spectrométrie de masse, spectroscopie infra-rouge et résonance magnétique nucléa ...

Description

This lecture introduces the twenty common amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, highlighting their chemical structures, single-letter codes, and DNA codons. It explains the distinction between essential and non-essential amino acids, emphasizing their significance in organic chemistry and everyday compounds. The lecture also covers conformational chirality, atropisomerism, and the Fischer projection, providing insights into molecular chirality and stereochemistry. Furthermore, it discusses diastereoisomers, Fischer projections, and the representation of molecules in 2D. The importance of understanding the conformation of non-cyclic saturated compounds is also explored, focusing on the energy barriers and different conformations of ethane. Lastly, the lecture delves into the conformation of cycloalkanes, analyzing the strain in cyclopropane, cyclobutane, and cyclohexane.

Instructors (2)

Luc Patiny

Expertise Cheminformatics, Data management, Data processing, Javascript developmentLast updated on April 16, 2023. Teaching & PhD Courses Advanced general chemistry II CH-120 Fundamental knowledge on the reactivity of organic compounds and their identification by mass spectrometry, IR spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. Basic and advanced NMR - Level 1 A (EPFL) CH-601(x) Basic theoretical and experimental aspects of NMR will be taught. Students will be familarized w

Jérôme Waser

Jérôme Waser biography and CV's are available on the following website: http://lcso.epfl.ch/waser

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Chemistry

Physical chemistry: Stereochemistry

Related concepts (32)

Chirality (chemistry)

In chemistry, a molecule or ion is called chiral (ˈkaɪrəl) if it cannot be superposed on its by any combination of rotations, translations, and some conformational changes. This geometric property is called chirality (kaɪˈrælɪti). The terms are derived from Ancient Greek χείρ (cheir) 'hand'; which is the canonical example of an object with this property. A chiral molecule or ion exists in two stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other, called enantiomers; they are often distinguished as either "right-handed" or "left-handed" by their absolute configuration or some other criterion.

Chirality

Chirality kaɪˈrælɪtiː is a property of asymmetry important in several branches of science. The word chirality is derived from the Greek χειρ (kheir), "hand", a familiar chiral object. An object or a system is chiral if it is distinguishable from its ; that is, it cannot be superimposed onto it. Conversely, a mirror image of an achiral object, such as a sphere, cannot be distinguished from the object. A chiral object and its mirror image are called enantiomorphs (Greek, "opposite forms") or, when referring to molecules, enantiomers.

Structural formula

The structural formula of a chemical compound is a graphic representation of the molecular structure (determined by structural chemistry methods), showing how the atoms are possibly arranged in the real three-dimensional space. The chemical bonding within the molecule is also shown, either explicitly or implicitly. Unlike other chemical formula types, which have a limited number of symbols and are capable of only limited descriptive power, structural formulas provide a more complete geometric representation of the molecular structure.

Stereoselectivity

In chemistry, stereoselectivity is the property of a chemical reaction in which a single reactant forms an unequal mixture of stereoisomers during a non-stereospecific creation of a new stereocenter or during a non-stereospecific transformation of a pre-existing one. The selectivity arises from differences in steric and electronic effects in the mechanistic pathways leading to the different products. Stereoselectivity can vary in degree but it can never be total since the activation energy difference between the two pathways is finite: both products are at least possible and merely differ in amount.

Stereochemistry

Stereochemistry, a subdiscipline of chemistry, involves the study of the relative spatial arrangement of atoms that form the structure of molecules and their manipulation. The study of stereochemistry focuses on the relationships between stereoisomers, which by definition have the same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms (constitution), but differ in the geometric positioning of the atoms in space. For this reason, it is also known as 3D chemistry—the prefix "stereo-" means "three-dimensionality".

Related lectures (64)

Organic Chemistry: Isomers and Stereoisomers

Explores isomers, different compounds, and stereoisomers, emphasizing the nomenclature and stereochemistry of organic molecules.

Advanced General Chemistry: Organic Compounds and Molecular Properties

Explores organic compounds, molecular properties, and colligative properties of solutions in advanced general chemistry.

Chirality and Asymmetric Synthesis

Explores the importance of chirality, methods for generating enantiopure compounds, and the synthesis of enantio-enriched compounds.

Enantiomers: Stereoisomers and Chirality

Explores enantiomers, stereo isomers that are non-superimposable mirror images, and their significance in chemistry.

Strain and Stabilization of Organic Molecules